


Eternity

by ChokolatteJedi



Category: Hercules (1997)
Genre: Deathfic, Disney, Gen, Greece, Mythology - Freeform, Pre-Canon, Yuletide, Yuletide 2008, Yuletide New Year's Resolutions Challenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-09-05
Updated: 2009-09-05
Packaged: 2017-10-21 02:55:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,165
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/220099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChokolatteJedi/pseuds/ChokolatteJedi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hades idly watched the flickering numbers of his soul counter as they changed...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Eternity

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Rhap-chan (possibilityleft)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/possibilityleft/gifts).



> For Rhap-Chan.
> 
> I tried to work in Meg's back story, Hades' humor, and actual Greek mythology in the references to the underworld. I hope you enjoy!

Hades idly watched the flickering numbers of his soul counter as they changed. Sparta was engaged in yet another battle with the Thyreans, and every few seconds another warrior's soul would float into his domain.

Though normally Hades would enjoy devising cruel torments for these new souls, or taunting the Thyreans about their pathetic fifteen-to-one death ratio, today his heart wasn't in it. Actually, his heart literally wasn't in it, as Persephone had returned to her mother's domain last week, taking all of his love and affection with her.

Not that Hades minded, particularly: love and affection were not assets in the underworld. Mushy, sappy feelings like love just lead to incidents like the Orpheus debacle.

But still, Hades missed his wife in her absence, though any of his minions who accused him of moping right after she left would get a swift shot of fire to the head. After the raging inferno incident that accidentally killed Pallor and Parasite, Pain and Panic quickly learned to stay out of Hades' way for those few weeks of the year.

But even if they had bothered him with their idiocy today, Hades wouldn't care. Well, he might flambé their tails, just on principle, but he wouldn't take any pleasure from it; not the way he normally would. Today Hades was depressed and lonely, and he felt like moping instead of killing.

Tomorrow, he decided, he would go strike down the victorious Spartan leader with a deadly strain of the sniffles, but today he was content to sit in the darkness and brood.

 

oOo

A few hours later, Hades was feeling marginally better, especially after a short visit from the Fates, who predicted some very exciting advances in medicine in the next few years. Longer life spans meant less work for him, and Hades was just contemplating a little trip to torment Theseus and Pirithous when a flickering image appeared at the edge of his vision.

Souls that flickered in and out of the god's domain were rare, and intriguing. Shifting between death and life only occurred when a soul started the trip into the realm of the dead before its time was up. So either the Fates were getting sloppy and letting someone accidentally die too soon, or this soul was trying to kill itself.

"Interesting. Very, very interesting." Hades concentrated on the soul and then conjured a window portal to the mortal's body. It was a young woman, barely too old to be still called a child. She was sprawled on a futon and appeared to be sleeping, but the small alabastron lying in her limp hand told a different story.

Between the poisoned drink and the tear tracks running down the girl's cheeks, Hades drew the obvious conclusion. Young, heartbroken, suicidal, lovers were _soooo_ gullible. "This could be fun!" he chuckled, before using his power to temporarily stabilize the wavering spirit.

"Hello, my tender little morsel," he said cheerfully.

"Who are you?" the young woman's sultry voice was at odds with her soulful young eyes and tear-streaked face.

"Who am- who am I? Me?" Hades pretended outrage. "You ask who- _me_? What kind of Aeginian doesn't recognize a _god_ when in the awesome presence of one?"

"You're a god?" She sounded half fearful and half skeptical, and the combination amused Hades. It even increased her resemblance to Persephone. Hades' wife had that same youthful quality and sharp personality, but Persephone's hair was more on the blackish-blue side and she shone with godly radiance, while the mortal was a brunette and quite pale in her dying minutes.

He caused his hair to flare a little brighter in the gloom. " _Of course_ I'm a god. Hades, Lord of the Dead. And you are?"

"Megara."

"Megara? Megara..." Hades frowned thoughtfully. "Sounds like a spice. Or maybe some kind of herb. Something _edible_ , anyways."

Megara scowled. "What do you want?"

Hades grinned widely. "Well here's the deal. You're dying. But you're not supposed to die for, like, another thirty years. You know, there are, like, _Fates_ who determine these things. So if you die now, you'll get to spend all of that in-between time in the Asphodel Meadows, reliving the worst parts of your life."

That last part actually wasn't true - Asphodel was a completely blank slate, but if Hades admitted that, he would never get minions. And he had to replace Parasite and Pallor eventually.

"On the other hand, I could save your life, and in return you would get to serve me for, like, ever." Hades smiled brightly.

"Relive my worst memories for thirty years or serve the god of death for hundreds? That isn't much of a choice," Megara huffed.

"Believe me, my Sweet." Hades shifted so that he was behind her, whispering in the spirit's ear, "thirty years of pain can be an _eternity_."

Hades reappeared on his ebony throne. "Alternatively, if you serve me well, I'll change you, and make all of those bad memories, _disappear_." He fluttered his hands smokily for effect. A quick peek into her soul confirmed his earlier guess of heartbreak and revealed the horrible memories she was dreading. "Some day, you won't even remember him. Or her." Hades said kindly.

"Some day they'll die and their souls will come down to Tartarus. After you got out of Asphodel, you'd eventually run into them, but if you are my minio- er, _servant_ , then you won't even recognize the happy couple."

Despite her painful memories, Megara held her head high, though Hades could see her lower lip trembling. When she eventually transformed into a demon and lost her human soul, he decided, he would name her _Pride_.

"If I agree to serve you forever, you'll save my life right now?" Megara asked cautiously.

"Yep."

"And you'll erase my memories of Phaestus and Cyme?"

"Well, I mean, yes _eventually_ , if you serve me well and all that," Hades waved his hands distractedly, "this isn't a 'something for nothing' kind of trade, you know."

Megara bit her lip and Hades tried to keep from scowling. He only had a few more minutes to stop her death before it went too far; she was starting to wane and flicker again.

"What am I _saying_ , Sugar, of course you'll serve me well. You'll be floating high in the sky in no time!" He smiled his most charming smile and held out his hand, "So what'll it be?"

"Al- alright." Megara took Hades's hand in her ghostly one, and with an electrifying burst he sent her spirit back to her body.

"Yes!" he crowed. Seconds later, he was standing above Megara's dying body. He touched the middle of her forehead and branded her soul with his energy, keeping it from dying or escaping. Finished, he ran one pale finger down her temple to her cheek as Megara slid back from the edge of death. A few seconds later, she opened her eyes, blinking in confusion.

"Hello again, my little Buttercup!" he declared brightly. " _Welcome to eternity!_ "


End file.
